Wednesday, 10 May 2017

Lab Coast - Album review

Based in Alberta, Canda, Lab Coast are an eclectic collective of musicians who are proud to release their first UK release of material in a self-titled album which is more a greatest hits picked from the band's extensive back catalogue. The album is an invitation to listen to a prolific band with their punchy, sharp pop rock songs.

Since 2008, Lab Coast has been delivering hazy bursts of hook-laden guitar pop via a string of critically acclaimed, award-winning albums, EPs, and singles. From their basement studio in Calgary, Alberta, the song writing team of singer David Laing & multi-instrumentalist Chris Dadge (Chad VanGaalen, Bug Incision, Samantha Savage Smith) carve out detailed analogue productions; these recordings draw from the wealth of instruments that friends leave at the Lab Coast practice space, and the ever-evolving recording techniques that they've been honing since day one.

The sequencing of the album starts high and rarely lets up, maintaining a form of elation and joy in the catchiness of the hooks and lyrics most notably in lead single 'As Usual' and 'Really Realize'. Utilising the influences of Tom Petty and recalling contemporaries such as Broken Social Scene and Arcade Fire; the band builds up a head of steam and never eases off.

Lab Coast are a band that have remained under the radar somewhat on these shores despite their consistent output, however, their music is fun and radio friendly, hopefully they will not be on the outside much longer in the UK. They are touring the UK at the end of the month playing the Shacklewell Arms on 22nd May, full listings on their website.

The album is available from Faux Discx for £8.00 online and there are limited edition of 500 vinyl LPs also which would not go amiss at any house party.

Lab Coast's self-titled album is released on Thursday 11th May from FauxDiscx.